The Big Screen Bulletin 05.05.08: The Cream of the Crop…

Posted by Chad Webb on 05.05.2008

A nightmare with Peter Falk and Rip Torn, the box office results, "Iron Man 2" details, news on "The Descent 2", the "MacGyver" movie, "Lovely Bones" updates, new DVD releases, new trailer ratings, and new quickees!

...in Monday movie news.

Straight to Video Nightmares

Three Days to Vegas

Starring: Peter Falk, Rip Torn, Bill Cobbs, and George Segal
Directed By: Charlie Picerni
Release Date: April 22, 2008
Running Time: 90 minutes
Rated PG-13 for language, sexual content and crude humor.







For those who enjoyed Grumpy Old Men, a comedy that brought veteran actors Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Burgess Meredith, and others together,Three Days to Vegas is right up your alley. An interesting point to note is that the summery and DVD case describe this road trip comedy flick as four grumpy old men when in fact they are the exact opposite. This group spends more time with women half their age on this journey that no time is left to be "grumpy." The stars in this case are Peter Falk (Columbo), Rip Torn (Men in Black), George Segal (Just Shoot Me, Look Who's Talking), and Bill Cobbs (Night at the Museum). It's nice to watch these old coots on screen together, but the fun stops there.

Our story opens with the aforementioned senior citizens playing a round of golf. They are in a hurry to finish, so they aim some balls at the kids in front of them. Only in the movies would teenagers be harassed by guys with gray hair. Rip Torn gives one of the funniest one-liners in years with "I got enough hair on my a$$ to stuff 17 mattresses and you're calling me son!" Rip is Joe Wallace, Peter Falk is Gus Fitzgerald, Bill Cobbs is Marvin Jeffries, and George Segal is Dominic Spinuzzi. Also playing with them is Billy Burke as Billy Simpson. He used to date Gus's daughter Liz (Nancy Young). Unfortunately, she springs the news that is marrying her current boyfriend Laurent, a French vegan that Gus dislikes with a passion. It is happening in three days in Las Vegas. Billy persuades Gus to stop the wedding at all costs. And so the trip begins as they obtain a party bus with a homosexual named Antoine driving.

Truth be told, this harmless comedy had some hilarious moments, but that is only because of the names involved. Rip Torn is quite insane here as a horny codger that expresses his fondness for ladies' "cans" right in front of them. Anyone else would be thrown in jail, but hey, it's Rip Torn. Along the way, the group stops in South Beach where Antoine picks up Chris in a club. By the way, Antoine is played by Taylor Negron, whom you might remember from the classic television series The Hughley's or the movie Bio-Dome. Chris is Mario Cantone, who was Anthony Marantino fromSex & the City. Shortly after acquiring this new passenger, Gus and company ditch both of them at a gas stop. Thus one of the most irritating sub-plots in film history commences as Chris and Antoine go on a criminal robbery run impersonating Thelma & Louise. This has no further basis on the main story, it was just inserted for the hell of it, or in my opinion, to make viewers stick their head in a meat grinder. To show how incredibly ainful this was to endure, the duo us called "Smokey and the Bandido."

Since Antoine is no longer around, Rip Torn is the new driver. I'll just refer to them as their real names since that is much more fun. He is drunk most of the time and falls asleep behind the wheel. Bill Cobb's character Marvin has a nephew in the area. He is a popular rap artists called the Flo, portrayed by none other than Coolio, who much to our collective dismay, has quit his day job. The Flo gives them everything from women to jobs to a free private flight to Vegas. In all honesty, I have seen worse performances by hip hop artists. Coolio is tolerable, even when he performs a song. That's right, this film has it all. Reginald VelJohnson, or as he should be called permanently, Carl from Family Matters, appears as a lawyer towards the end. I wish he had a bigger role. On a side note, Bill Cobbs replaced Ossie Davis, who passed away before completing this.

Director Charlie Picerni has gradually evolved from a stunman to a second unit director, to finally a director by himself. Previously he helmed a great deal of television episodes, and Three Days to Vegas was his film debut. It isn't a horrid start. The faults of this amusing excursion do not rest with his filmmaking. It belongs to the crummy script, which was penned by Picerni, Joe Warner, and Michael Pietrzak. It is amazing that all these affable stars agreed to this, and with a better story, who knows how much more pleasant the experience could have been. Sadly, the plot is so predictable, thin, and annoying that the smile of watching the cast soon fades into anger of such a moronic screenplay. To be fair, Warner and Pietrzak are both rookie writers, and luckily for them this will be a learning experience. Thanks to Falk and Torn having such spot-on timing, this hackneyed story is given at least some spunk.

None of the other cast members are really worth mentioning. Billy Burke from Fracture and Untraceable has such a bland part as the ex aching for his girlfriend. George Segal is humorous at times. He plays Dominic, who is buddies with all sorts of celebrities. Three Days to Vegas was formerly titled Retirement, which makes no sense since these guys are old enough to have been retired for a decade. This is mediocre comedy that will be perfect for your grandparents to watch. Everybody recognizes Peter Falk, and once they notice the others in the cast, it will probably be enough to rent. This was indeed a mess, but it had some brilliant one-liners and some neat scenes to elevate it from a torturous time.

Final Rating = 5.0/10.0

The News Bulletin

Iron Man Proves His Strength in Ticket Sales
Paramount and Marvel Studios' summer tentpole "Iron Man" mined enough in its box office debut to join the pantheon all-time highest openers, grossing an estimated $104.2 million domestically and $96.7 million internationally for a worldwide cume of $201 million in its first five days. The film biz couldn't have asked for a better start to the summer season, with "Iron Man" mirroring the birth of the "Spider-Man" franchise. Domestically, the Robert Downey Jr. topliner grossed $100.7 million for the weekend and another $3.5 million from select Thursday night shows. That gives "Iron Man," directed by Jon Favreau, the 10th best opening weekend ever, and the second-best debut for a non-sequel after "Spider-Man," which opened to $114.8 million on the same weekend in 2002.

"Iron Man" is a sizeable victory for Marvel Studios. It's the first title fully produced and financed under Marvel Studio's new business plan. Par marketed and distributed the pic. Like "Spider-Man," "Iron Man" drew rave reviews, particularly for Downey's performance as Tony Stark. Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard. There was some question as to whether "Iron Man" could lure women. Film's gross revealed it succeeded, although it still skewed heavily male. Of the audience, 57% were over the age of 25. That left some room for Sony to capture the attention of older women with Patrick Dempsey-Michelle Monaghan romantic comedy "Made of Honor," which opened to an estimated $15.5 million from 2,729 runs to place No. 2 for the weekend. Of the audience, 68% were female, while 62% were over the age of 25. Pic got a B+ Cinemascore.

There was plenty of competish for female eyeballs. Universal holdover "Baby Mama" held well in its second frame, declining 41% to an estimated $10.3 million from 2,548 runs to place No. 3 for the frame. Cume is $33.2 million. U also claimed the No. 4 spot on the B.O. chart with holdover "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," which declined 44% in its third frame to an estimated $6.1 million from 2,872 for a cume of $44.8 million. Among specialty openers, Sony Pictures Classics' mixed-martial arts drama "Redbelt," from David Mamet, grossed an estimated $68,646 from six theaters in Gotham and L.A. for a per screen average of $11,441. Paramount Vantage's dramedy "Son of Rambow" debuted at an estimated $52,549 from five runs in Gotham and L.A. for a per screen average of $10,510.

The question wasn't what would get #1, but how much the guaranteed #1 would make. At $100 mill, this was a satisfactory opening I'd guess. However, it cannot decline much in its second week because it is in over 4000 venues. No surprise that Grey's Anatomy fans flocked to see Made of Honor. It gave the women something to see this weekend I suppose. Harold and Kumar 2 took a big nosedive from #2 to #5 collecting about half of what they did last week. The rest are holdovers with strong showings from Baby Mama and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and persistent stragglers like Prom Night and 21 hanging on at the end. Next week we see Speed Racer in theaters. It is my pick, but I'll bet it gains the top spot barely. Iron Man will not just bow down.






Iron Man Will Suit Up Again Sooner Than You Think
With "Iron Man" looking to score anywhere between $70-110 million in its opening weekend at the U.S. box-office, plans for a sequel are ramping up fast. Sumner Redstone and Brad Grey tell Entertainment Tonight that should all go well, Paramount will greenlight a sequel for early May 2010. Adding to that, The IESB reports that Robert Downey Jr's personal trainer for the film is about to start training with Downey again and will have him "ready to wear the suit again in just 5 months".

The move comes at an interesting time for Marvel. The studio has been steadily churning out 2-3 films per year since 2002 using characters from their comics stable. Yet as independent producers now ("Iron Man" is their first production as a true independent entity), surprisingly little is happening in terms of the brand's future. Whilst "Iron Man" is a guaranteed hit, reaction to their two other upcoming films this year ("The Incredible Hulk," "Punisher: War Zone") has been far more tepid and faces challenges from rival comic adaptations with far more anticipation and buzz - "The Dark Knight" and the "Hellboy" sequel.

On top of this, all of Marvel's other assorted projects from "Thor" and "Captain America" to established franchises like "Spider-Man" seem to be stuck in development phase. Commendably president of production Kevin Feige said in an interview this week that "We're not going to risk our characters by rushing them... two or three years is the proper time between movies." It's expected that details of the next franchise they plan to kick off with will be announced on Monday. "Wolverine", currently shooting in Sydney, is Marvel's sole release next year. After its debut next May, there's nothing set for what the studio plans to churn out next.

I like that Mr. Feige does not want to rush these adaptations. This is what causes me to look forward to Marvel's comic book movies. At least they are approaching them the proper way. Some of us might not want to wait, but in the long run, a better product will be churned out. I am betting that The Incredible Hulk is a disappointment despite the involvement of Edward Norton. I could care less about Punisher: War Zone. Wolverine doesn't interest me either. Captain America might be the toughest one to tackle. The previous films were beyond horrendous and doing a new one that isn't cheesy will be hard. Iron Man 2 should only improve upon the original as long as the cast and crew return.






Never Go Down the Same Cave Twice
Celador Films and Pathe are re-teaming for a sequel to 2005's acclaimed spelunking horror hit "The Descent" says The Hollywood Reporter. The Neil Marshall-directed feature, costing under $10 million, took in nearly six times that at the box-office internationally. The script sees the survivor forced back into the system of caves she battled her way out of in the first film, in a bid to locate the rest of her group.

The stars of the original film, Shauna MacDonald and Natalie Mendoza, will reprise their roles, alongside Gavan O'Herlihy, Joshua Dallas, Anna Skellern, Douglas Hodge and Krysten Cummings. Based on a script by James Watkins ("My Little Eye"), the $10 million sequel will shoot more than eight weeks on location in Scotland and at London's Ealing Studios. Editor Jon Harris will make his directorial debut on the flick.

Locate what? The bodies of her friends? Most, if not all, died. What is the point of this? A sequel is intriguing with new people perhaps, and a cameo of sorts by the survivor, but this plot seems stupid to me. Plus, the entrance of the editor as the director worries me. He is very green and has little knowledge of the process. On the upside, I predict that this sequel will not be bad on the level that most American horror sequels are. I am both excited and angry about this.






Beware! The Creature from the Bad Remake
Out doing promotions for an episode of NBC's "Fear Itself", director Breck Eisner ("Sahara") talked with ShockTillYouDrop about Universal's long in development remake of "Creature from the Black Lagoon". Eisner says they scouted locations for the movie for a month last year but got shut down when the writers strike began. The plan was to shoot in Manaus, Brazil and on the Amazon in Peru and specifically - "This place called the Forest of Mirrors, because there are so many lagoons on a thousand mile green carpet river, and we found the lagoon we're going to shoot in" he says. With the strike over though, things are progressing - "We've got the boat set and everything ready to go... I'm waiting on the height of the Amazon river before we start shooting". Eisner is presently reworking Gary Ross' screenplay for the remake at this very moment. The look of the creature itself, a product of six months of design at Spectral Motion, is "very faithful to the original, but updated". Eisner is also currently prepping a remake of George Romero's "The Crazies" which he'll shoot first.

Maybe it is just me, but one would think a director would prefer projects that are not remakes. I guess he could be just taking whatever job he is offered, but Eisner is gathering all the remakes he can find it seems. Of course we know this will suck major balls. The original was marketed heavily on the fact that it was shot in 3D, yet it turned out to be a classic anyway because Director Jack Arnold knew science fiction/horror as competently as any filmmaker of the period. I would put any amount of money on the fact that most of time was spent worrying about the look of the creature, and less on the storyline.






Bringing Multiple Uses for Duct Tape to the Big Screen
"MacGyver" creator Lee David Zlotoff announced at Maker Faire 2008 this weekend that a big budget "MacGyver" movie is in the planning stages. According to Gizmodo, Zlotoff mentioned he ended up with the movie rights years ago (extremely uncommon), giving him full control over the film. Further specifics were not mentioned, and no formal announcement has been made.

Well this is certainly enticing, but we all know how this will unfold. The studio will hire some young weak actor to fill the spot, likely somebody who is nothing like Richard Dean Anderson and tries to be suave instead of smart. If I had the choice of writing a script, I would mold some script about MacGyver aging, and being caught in the middle of a situation when at the same time he is reluctant because it's been a long time. That might not sound very good, but my instinct tells me the result of this will be a letdown. On the bright side, at least Lee David Zlotoff has full control, so perhaps he will be firm in his views. One can only hope. I am huge fan of the show, and would see anything with this name in the title regardless of how horrible it appeared.






These Bones Are Not Looking Very Lovely
Flicks.Co.Nz reports that Peter Jackson's "The Lovely Bones" ceased filming due to a rift between Jackson and his art director over the best way to depict Heaven. A large portion of film takes place in that mythological/spiritual realm where the main character Susie Salmon looks down on her family after her murder. The Wellington crew apparently are having a break while the creative differences are sorted out. The project has undergone some visible arguments before, notably Ryan Gosling being replaced by Mark Wahlberg several days before filming began at Jackson's behest.

In related news, Susan Sarandon talked about her experience playing the comical alcoholic grandmother in the film with Empire this week. Whilst she praised Jackson, she seems more reluctant about her performance - "I'm really curious to see what it's like because he kept pushing me to be more and more extreme and sometimes that's when you make your big mistakes so I'm not sure how it will come off - it will be interesting to see it from the point of view of the audience"

I was disappointed to read this update. I have been anxiously awaiting this film for several months now that I have read the book. The book is brilliant, and with Peter Jackson at the helm, I have full confidence that it will be satisfactory. Of course, Heaven is definitely the key, so I can understand why two people might have differing opinions. Despite these bumps in the road, the cast and crew are magnificent thus far. All we need is for the kinks to be worked out. Sarandon might have doubts, but Jackson has not offered us anything shoddy in the past, so I still have faith.

The 20 Second Sermon

David Silverman, the man who helmed The Simpsons Movie and Monsters, Inc is now jumping to live-action when he plans to direct The Pet for Disney, which revolves around a guy who is kidnapped by aliens and forced to be their pet. Sir Ian McKellen will reprise his role as Gandalf in the upcoming Hobbit movies. Well, this had to happen if the prequels were to be half-way decent right? Jonah Hill is rumored to provide comic relief in Transformers 2. This is a wise decision. I am sure that the sequel will be as goofy and as blockbusterish entertaining as the original. Steven Soderbergh is set to helm The Girlfriend Experience, a low budget flick about a high class prostitute. He wants to cast a porn star in the lead, and I say that should extremely interesting. If anyone can pull that off, it is Soderbergh. Mel Gibson is prepared to return to the screen as a star in Edge of Darkness an adaptation of a British mini-series. Finally. The man needs to get his reputation back to normal if at all possible.

What's Coming to DVD….Buy or Avoid?

DVD Headline of the Week



I'm Not There (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) - This was on my top 10 for 2007. It is one of the most unique and satisfying music biopics in years. I definitely recommend checking it out! Buyable

P.S. I Love You - This was another film that had the Christmas rush release date going against it. I failed to see it, and I'll be honest, there are others I'd rather spend money on. It might be ok, but I doubt I'll see it.

Bella - I have heard some positive things about this foreign film, and the quotes on the DVD box intrigue me so perhaps I'll give this a chance.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie - I really need to get a MST3K box set. If anyone wants to recommend one, feel free. Here they attack This Island Earth.

Teeth - Ok, who isn't curious to see this that knows of the premise? However good or bad it is, it will forever be known as the movie where the girl's vagina has teeth.

First Sunday - An easy contender for my end of the year top 10 worst list. Not only is the acting ridonkulously inane, but the story is beyond dumb. Ice Cube can do better. Forgettable

The Car - A cult film that bears a striking resemblance to Duel. This 1977 flick has James Brolin as a sheriff. Only worth getting if it lands in the $5 bin at Wal-Mart. Rentable

The Bridges of Madison County (Deluxe Edition) - This was an average romance from Mr. Eastwood. I wouldn't call it a classic by any stretch, but it was watchable.

Over Her Dead Body - I missed this one in theaters, and will continue to do so for a long time on DVD.

Serial Mom - Generally, I'm not a huge John Waters fan, but this film does interest me as I've never seen it. I'll add it to Netflix.

Ace of Hearts - Dean Cain stars in another Direct-to-DVD movie. Yay. I can't wait to skip this.

Twister (Two-Disc Special Edition) - Of all the disaster movies that sprung up around the 90's, this is the one I can tolerate the most. It has a good cast with a properly structured plot. Plus, it has Philip Seymour Hoffman in an early supporting role.Buy it Used

Speed Racer the Next Generation: The Beginning - Why is this coming out at all? Who would waste time with this before the live-action blockbuster is released? Me, that's who. Well, it seems a good nightmare for the future.

A Collection of 2007 Academy Award Nominated Short Films - This would be nice if we had the opportunity to see them prior to the ceremony. It is near impossible to do so, plus this is commonly overpriced, so I say this deserves nothing more than a rental if anything.

Delirious - Not to be confused with the funny John Candy comedy. This has Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Alison Lohman, and Gina Gershon. I'm intrigued enough to rent possibly.

Movie Dictionary: Word of the Week

Test Screening - A test screening is a preview screening of a movie or television show before its general release in order to gauge audience reaction. Preview audiences are selected from a cross-section of the population, and are usually asked to complete a questionnaire or provide feedback in some form. Harold Lloyd is credited with inventing the concept, having used it as early as 1919. Feedback from a test screening may be used to improve, or at least alter, the movie before it is released. This may be as simple as changing the title of the film (as in the case of the film that became "Licence to Kill"), or it may be more substantial. Cases exist of where test screenings prompted filmmakers to completely change the ending of a movie (by having a character die who would have survived, or vice versa, for instance); examples include "Little Shop of Horrors", "Mary Poppins", "Fatal Attraction" , "Titanic" and "Pretty in Pink."

It has been suggested that the usual practice of testing the movie with an audience representing the general public may be counterproductive in some cases. If a film's appeal is only for a particular section of the population, comments from viewers outside the target audience may prompt filmmakers to make changes that alienate the target audience without significantly broadening the film's appeal. Such a film is said to be "dumbed down".

In television, test screenings may be used before a series debuts, to help fine-tune the concept (as was famously done with "Sesame Street", leading to a larger role for the Muppets), or to pre-test specific episodes – an extreme case, the Australian childrens' series "Play School" reportedly tests every one of its episodes with a preview audience in the target preschool demographic, rejecting any that elicit signs of boredom. According to Adam West's book "Back to the Batcave", the initial test screenings for the 1960s "Batman" television series were so poorly received that, based on the reactions of the test audience, the evaluation cards were never actually read, and were simply shredded before word could get out.

--from Wikipedia.org

The Critic's Quickee

Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay - I enjoyed Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. It wasn't a classic, but it was funny and solid overall. The sequel is almost a total disaster. Not only is it derivative, but they take basically the same formula and multiply it times a thousand. Kal Penn and John Cho have great chemistry. They are terrific to watch on screen. However, when the storyline is so incredibly idiotic, preposterous even for this universe, and congested with over the top scenarios, all that chemistry dissolves away. Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, the writers of the original, return as screenwriters, but also direct this annoying road trip. A good word to describe this script is comedy overload. They must have thought to stick any and every exaggerated sequence in here just because. It is similar to throwing a dart blindfolded and seeing what sticks. In addition, 9 times out of 10, fart jokes indicate a poor screenplay, and this one begins with Kumar taking a huge dump. Oh but that's not all. Expect masturbation humor, homosexual references, and any type of gross out gag one can imagine having to do with a penis, vagina, or anal cavity. I understand that this is supposed to be so dumb its hilarious. I understand this is a gross out comedy, but I also understand one can have too much of a good thing, and this was damn near a waste of time. On a side note, I was looking forward to Neil Patrick Harris. However, something struck me. Upon the release of the first movie, he had not come out as an openly gay man. He has now, yet he plays himself here as a horny heterosexual that brands prostitutes. This is minor, but it just seems odd to me. I laughed at a total of two jokes. One involved Starship Troopers and the other was the math poem. I think a promising premise existed with flashbacks and a trip to Amsterdam. The scenes from college were good, but they lasted all of a couple minutes. Also, it bothered me that Kumar is so smart, yet what he does on the plane is so enormously retarded. If you ask me, this is one of the most disappointing sequels of the year, possibly in recent years. The structure was excessively filled with weak gags, the filmmakers had no sense of patience, and Ron Fox played by Rob Corddry was perhaps the most irritating authority figure in cinematic history. How Corddry gets offers is beyond me. It is safe to say I really didn't like this movie. Final Rating = 3.5/10.0

Deception - Ewan McGregor is a very talented actor, although one wouldn't know that after glancing at his last 5 or 6 roles. Here he stars as Jonathan McQuarry, an adult geek that looks like he went from 7th grade to his late thirties in a few minutes. We know he is a nerd since he slicks his hair completely to the side and wears bad glasses. Hugh Jackman is Wyatt Bose, and we know he is super cool since he knows how to dress well and gets laid a lot. I think the idea of a sex club for successful business persons is a potentially engaging premise. Even if it makes no sense that these people would need such a club regardless of such a hectic working schedule, I still was entertained by that. However, this clumsy thriller leaves so much in the open to gripe about. For starters, Director Marcel Langenegger builds it as a second rate David Mamet movie or something David Fincher might have passed on. It is primarily shot at night time, in the rain, inside dreary hotel rooms, or all of the above. The performances are a mixed bag. Jackman is fun as a manipulative and creepy prick that gets what he wants. McGregor is obviously just acting his lines with no passion or drive whatsoever. This is a horrible job from someone who could easily obtain an Oscar if he desired. Of course the story suffers because it relies on twists, which are uniformly predictable and effortless to spot. The women are certainly sexy though. Michelle Williams looks hot until she tries to act, but Natasha Henstridge is the stand out in her very brief contribution. She is still hot. Lisa Gay Hamilton is also terrific as the main police detective. What really puts a knife in this shoddy adventure is the conclusion, which is not only lame but insulting and lazy. The writer is Mark Bomback, which was surprising since he penned Live Free or Die Hard. This exercise was goofy, dull, and not near seductive enough to maintain my enjoyment. Final Rating = 5.0/10.0

Baby Mama - I really wanted to see this, but then last minute Sunday plans got in the way. Sorry guys. Next week I'll bring it to ya!

Based on the Trailer…

Newest Trailers

The Dark Knight (3) - I'll be honest. I was getting sick of everyone talking about this movie, that is until I saw this trailer. It is amazing, and Heath Ledger's performance looks to go down as one of the best in term so of comic book adaptations. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

The Incredible Hulk (2) - This second trailer is a bit better than the first, but not by a lot. It shows part of the transformation and more of William Hurt, which was neat, but the CGI still looks bad to me. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2) - I thought this wasn't nearly as inspiring as the first trailer, and gave away too much information. Of course this matters not since I will be seeing it on opening day for sure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

The Escapist - A British prison break film starring Brian Cox. This is my favorite sub-genre, so I can't wait for this, but in order for this to make a splash, it will have to be something special. The critic quotes being from random guys worries me. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Hancock (2) - This is the superhero movie that is top on my list. Unfortunately this 3 minute trailer gives away basically the whole storyline. These previews anger me. The movie looks cool, but this trailer is not. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

May Releases

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Hey, it Indy, our favorite history professor, and he has returned. This preview was wonderful. The action looks fantastic. I am so there. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Speed Racer - This film looks weird. I mean, it should visually amazing like only the Wachowski's know how, but I'm not sure about this one yet. It should be entertaining though. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

Speed Racer (2) - I had massive doubts from the first trailer, but this new one is worlds better, and I actually an amped to see it. If it sticks to a family tone, it could work. It still may be a huge dud, but you never know. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0

Sex and the City (2) - The teaser was fine, and that should have been it, but this new trailer spoils the end of the series, and most of the plot in the film. Why bother seeing it now? This is one of the worst kind of previews. Trailer Rating = 2.5/10.0

What Happens in Vegas - This is a movie that gives people reason to say there is nothing good out. This will be a total and complete piece of junk. You know it, and I know it. Trailer Rating = 2.0/10.0

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - I must admit, after disliking the first one, this trailer actually has me anticipating the sequel. Perhaps they improved with age. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Midnight Meat Train - You watch this preview, and it strikes you as a riveting thriller, then the title comes up, and you can't help but chuckle. It seems to take itself way too seriously for a bizarre title like that. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

War, Inc. - A satire about war with a really intriguing and hilarious cast led by John Cusack. I'm anxious to see this. It looks funny and entertaining at the same time. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

The Tracey Fragments - For all those who question the abilities of Ellen Page, watch this preview. This looks outstanding. The plot seems different, and the cast looks good. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

June Releases
You Don't Mess With the Zohan - What a shame that Adam Sandler's films seem to be getting worse. I have no interest in seeing this, and I did not laugh once during this trailer. Same old song and dance from him. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0

Kung Fu Panda - This could be funny. Jack Black has solid voice for CGI, and the premise is intriguing. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Get Smart - I need to catch a few episodes of the original show before seeing the film. The trailer is funny, which means it should be somewhat fun. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

The Love Guru - I usually enjoy Mike Myers, but this new character might not be as popular as Austin Powers or Wayne Campbell. I laughed a few times, but this has not really jumped out as all that spectacular. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

The Incredible Hulk - I love Edward Norton, but I fail to see how this will right all the wrongs of Ang Lee's version. Is the origin story the biggest demand from fans? This just looks ok so far, and the CGI appears sloppy. It is a long ways away, but I'm not impressed. Trailer Rating = 5.5/10.0

Wanted (2) - This movie does look extremely cool, but I still se a lot of Matrix elements. Oh well, Angelina Jolie is sexy, Morgan Freeman is playing his customary wise instructor role, and the special effects look neat. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Wall-E - Another Pixar classic is under our belt, and I can't wait for the next one. This robotic adventure should be great, and easily superior to Robots. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

Wall-E (2) - The second trailer for Pixar's upcoming film makes me want to see it even more. I'm sorry, but this company is doing wondrous things right now. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

Wall-E (3) - How can some people not be lovers of Pixar? This movie looks wonderful, and I'm pleased this trailer revealed some added characters. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

The Happening - While many have lost all faith in Shyamalan, I think he can still supply riveting thrillers if he puts his mind to it. I actually see this as a vast improvement from Lady in the Water. Here's hoping anyway. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl - The new Abigail Breslin vehicle. I'll bet this blows as it looks similar to Nancy Drew, which was horrendous by itself. I'll be passing on this one. Trailer Rating = 3.0/10.0

July Releases

Hancock - Will Smith plays one of the most extraordinary looking super heroes in history. I'm actually excited to see this. Trailer Rating = 8.5/10.0

The Wackness - This little indy was a hit at Sundance, and definitely looks funny and creative by the teaser trailer. I'll be giving it a chance for sure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

Meet Dave - Just when you think Eddie Murphy will only dove lower for his comedies, this to me, actually looks kind of funny. I'm having trouble admitting that after Norbit, but this seems original. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Mamma Mia! - I have never seen this musical on Broadway, but I suppose I'll have to see this film, featuring music from Abba…ugh. It doesn't look terrible, but it's not my type of thing. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0

Hellboy II: The Golden Army - I loved the first film, and am greatly anticipating the sequel. It looks to have kept the same sense of visual excitement and adventure. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

The Dark Knight (2) - I have to admit, despite the endless news bits about this film, the trailer is marvelous and could not have been handled better. This will rock. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D - This will most likely be cheesy and preposterous, but hey, it's in 3D, and it has Brendan Fraser, so it should be semi-enjoyable. This should be fun in the theater, but not much else. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

Step Brothers - Now this is a Will Ferrell comedy I can't wait to see. The premise is unusual, and the jokes in this preview are hilarious. Plus, it's directed by Adam McKay, who knows his stuff. Trailer Rating = 8.0/10.0

August, TBD, and Beyond Releases

Righteous Kill - The new crime thriller with Pacino and De Niro! This looks average at the moment, but it should be fantastic with the two of them as a duo on screen for most of the film. The supporting cast looks excellent as well. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Madagascar: The Crate Escape - This is some sort of weird DVD trailer, but we see the basic layout of the plot, and it is not very funny or interesting. I could care less about this one. Trailer Rating = 4.5/10.0

Lost Boys: The Tribe - I stumbled upon this trailer for the Direct-to-DVD sequel starring Corey Felmdman. For a B-movie, it doesn't look half bad, though Feldman is not the actor he once was. Trailer Rating = 7.0/10.0

Bangkok Dangerous - Nicolas Cage continues his "Next" phase with this assassin story. Ehh, Cage is starting to piss me off. He's such a talented actor, and he does this junk. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

The Accidental Husband - How many ways can we package a typical romantic comedy? This doesn't fool me. It is the same old song and dance we get every year, only this time with Uma Thurman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Trailer Rating = 5.0/10.0

Quarantine - I suppose this wants to be the Cloverfield of "infected" movies. I say this will suck big time. Trailer Rating = 4.0/10.0

The Duchess - This is a goofy trailer. You wonder who could be introduced, and then the title "The Duchess" comes up, and you wonder why all the hassle of building it up. Knightley is to period pieces as Seagal is to B-movie action. Trailer Rating = 6.0/10.0

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 - I generally hate the term "chick flick", but really what else applies here. Never saw the first one, won't see this one, and this trailer is not up my alley. That is all. Trailer Rating = 4.5/10.0

Star Trek XI - The teaser was superbly placed before Cloverfield, and this causes me to be amped for the next installment despite my doubts about the cast. I hope it's as good as we deserve. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Lakeview Terrace - Patrick Wilson and Samuel L. Jackson star in this thriller about an insane neighbor who is also a cop. This seems sort of like Cape Fearto me, but not nearly as good. Ehhh. Trailer Rating = 6.5/10.0

Hamlet 2 - I heard a lot of positive things about this comedy, plus I'm a huge fan of Steve Coogan, who is the star. Catherine Keener and Amy Poehler also star. It is about a high school drama teacher who writes a musical called "Hamlet 2." Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

Tropic Thunder - I am liking the plot to this film, and the trailer is pretty funny. Hopefully this is a Ben Still flick I don't hate. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

The Pineapple Express - This is the red band trailer by the way. I Haven't laughed this hard at a trailer in awhile. This is going to be great. The cast is fantastic, and James Franco is being put to good use. Trailer Rating = 10.0/10.0

Defiance - This new Edward Zwick film looks outstanding with Daniel Craig leading the cast in World War II story. This gave me chills. I can't wait. Trailer Rating = 9.0/10.0

The Spirit - This is the new adaptation from Frank Miller. I'm anxious to see this, but from this teaser, it looks a bit too similar to Sin City. Oh well. I loved that film, so maybe this will be just as entertaining. Trailer Rating = 7.5/10.0

Other Stuff to Read

The Best Movies of the Alphabet
411 May Roundtable - This month Owain J. Brimfield takes the reigns and compiled the thoughts of the movie zone staff on the summer releases for May!
The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks - Thanks again to John Meehan for providing my banner here, and for the Alphabet feature.



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